


a life you can live in

by mxmyth



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Aughra being Aughra, Gen, Intersex Feels, One Shot, disability feels, supportive parents, trans feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 05:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20961551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxmyth/pseuds/mxmyth
Summary: Theirs could not be the simple life of the other families because, along with hazel eyes and twitchy ears, Ollie was born with wings.





	a life you can live in

**Author's Note:**

> Content warning for exploration of intersexism and transphobia in Gelfling society and brief mention of surgery.

Ollie was adored the moment her parents knew to expect her.

That didn’t change when she arrived earlier than predicted, so eager was she to see everything that Thra had to offer. It didn’t change when the midwife left in a hurry and neighbours began to gossip, or when the Maudra herself came by to decide what was to be done.

To her parents Ollie was perfect, a living expression of a love that many had frowned upon. She was born with big hazel eyes, ears that twitched to catch each and every sound, and a little mouth that smiled easily. Her hair grew in dark like her father’s but was streaked with pale gold that matched her mother’s braids. She had her mother’s fair skin and a greenish blush to her eyelids, temples, and the tops of her ears like her father.

Theirs could not be the simple life of the other families because, along with hazel eyes and twitchy ears, Ollie was born with wings. Nevertheless, Ollie had received the blessing of the Maudra, so all the townsfolk could do was stare and speculate and talk amongst themselves.

_This is why the clans ought not intermarry,_ spoke the Stonewood over goblets of fermented merkeep juice. _We can see with our own eyes that mixing Stonewood and Vapra makes for nothing but trouble._

Ollie was a good listener. Her ears captured whispers wherever she went. When she was small, she thought that all Gelfling outside of her family were whispering grumps. It stung when the other childlings of the village called her names and ran away when she came close, but she always had her mother and father.

The nights in front of the fireplace playing pebble games or weaving stories into the air were a refuge. When she came home in tears from being pushed down her father soothed ointment over the scrapes, and her mother taught her how to hold her head high and smile mysteriously no matter what anyone said.

As she grew her knack for moving about unheard and unseen developed into notable skill. Ollie watched and listened to the village goings on from little hidey places; a perch in the rafters, a hollow tree trunk, the roof of the town hall. In this way she learned that the people of her village were not unkind always, but that they deemed her deserving of special unkindness. They called her Ollivel, which she thought sounded stuffy and had altered as soon as language came to her. They spoke of her as if she was a naughty boy and not her father’s bright girl, her mother’s dear daughter. What silly Gelflings.

Ollie was kind by nature. It hurt to think that the people of her village despised her because her body looked like her cousin Teodore’s but she had wings like her cousin Luci. But what could she do? This was the body she was born with. It felt like a good body to her. She liked her hazel eyes, her clever hands, her sneaky feet. She liked her gossamer wings the most, even as she struggled with them.

As they made their weekly treks to the high, pointed hills on the edge of the Dark Wood her mother told her stories of their ancestors. _The Vapra have always been strong flyers,_ her mother promised. _You’ll get it. Watch how I do it. Keep working at it._

And Ollie did try her very best but her wings were frail and smaller than the other girls’ wings. When she managed to get a handbreadth off the ground she was left panting and sweaty. It took the gentle intercession of Ollie’s father for her mother to realize that, perhaps, it’s not always enough to try harder. Perhaps some are strong flyers, but others have a gift for sneaking and listening.

After that the lessons continued, but with a focus on gliding and riding updrafts, on touching down so lightly that no one even knew you were there. At this Ollie excelled and her mother was proud.

When she was on the cusp of childling and Gelfling, Ollie’s parents decided it was time to relent and visit her mother’s family. They packed and prepared gifts and loaded it all into the cart. Before they left Ollie’s mother presented her the dress she had been wearing when she arrived at Stone-in-the-Wood and met Ollie’s father. Vapran in style, a little frayed at the cuffs and hem but still lovely, Ollie thought the silvery fabric was the best thing she had ever worn. She thought she looked beautiful and grown in her new clothes and with half of her hair braided back.

It was twilight when they arrived at the home of her maternal grandparents. The air was freezing and snow was beginning to fall, but grandmother and grandfather were waiting to meet them. On the front steps there were greetings and kisses, and Ollie was pulled away from catching snowflakes into a group hug.

But when they moved out of the shivery cold and into the warm privacy of the interior the reunion became charged with tension.

_Mother, why is there a doctor here?_ Ollie’s mother asked, clutching Ollie to her side.

_Hear us out,_ Grandfather said. _Ha’rar is home to the best physicians in Thra. I’ve been assured that this is not as unusual a problem as one would expect._

_Ollie is not a problem,_ Ollie’s father said. His quiet voice sounded strong and sure.

_The Head Surgeon herself assured us that it’s a straightforward procedure, and then those pesky vestigials won’t bother you anymore,_ Grandmother said, her hazel eyes landing on the space between Ollie’s shoulders.

Ollie’s mother tightened her grip on her dear daughter.

_Don’t say anything more. We’re leaving. Come on, Ollie._

The Three Sisters rose over the Claw Mountains and watched one little family make their way through the cold and dark, their cart leaving tracks in the snow.

* * *

Ollie finished her story and stared down into the wooden cup Aughra had passed her. The tea inside was cold now. A long silence stretched out.

“Well?” Aughra demanded. “Is that it, then? Your parents love you. Sounds all right to me.”

“All right?” repeated Ollie. “My village hates me! My grandparents want to cut me up! I don’t know if my mother will ever speak to her parents again. Please. I’ve come all this way because I need to know what to do.”

“So village doesn’t understand you,” Aughra said with a shrug. “Stone-in-the-Wood is not the whole world. Bah to your village! Have you seen Sifan Coast? Smelled the wet, living air of the Swamp? There is so much more! Bah to your grandparents! Bah to doctors with knives and closed little minds. Who needs them?”

“The Sifan Coast?” repeated Ollie. Her eyes were wet with a new hope.

“Aye. The Sifa do not cut lines so cleanly through the shapes and sorts of people. Man, woman, neither, both. Many Gelflings, many ways. The Dousan, too, see the between of things. Amongst the Drenchen, men marry and women marry, and men and women marry. You think you’re the only one?” Aughra gave her a keen look. “Oh no, no. Child, there is more to Thra and her children than you can imagine now.”

Ollie’s head spun. “But my parents…”

“Love you! Love you dearly and have raised a fine young Gelfling. Don’t they want you to be happy? Ought you not be a grateful daughter and make yourself a life you can live in?”

“Even if that means going away?” Ollie ran her finger along the worn cuff of her dress.

“We often go away to come back,” Aughra poured herself more tea from the pot and gulped it back in one. She smacked her lips and put down her cup.

“Go, stay; up to you. But your parents wouldn’t want you to slink around home and listen to nasty nattery chatter all day, yes? Aughra knows.” Her tone softened, “Parents want what is best. Want their children to be happy. There are many ways to be happy. You must find your own.” At that she nodded, smug in her rightness.

Ollie launched herself into Aughra’s solid, earth-smelling self and held on tight. The Mother of Thra grumbled and petted her hair with a gnarled hand.

“There, there. Now you’ll need a map, yes. And food, too. Long journey ahead.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading about my girl Ollie. If you liked this, please let me know <3


End file.
